Mom with severe periods discovers she has two uteruses

By Amy Reast via SWNS

A mom with bleeding so heavy she got through 30 pads a day - costing $766-a-year - discovered it's because she has two uteruses.

Jade Williams, 31, began getting heavy periods after the birth of her first child, Elouise, in November 2012, when she was 19.

They grew heavier and heavier over the years but doctors didn't know why.

Even after having three more children - Ajay, seven, Maisie, five, and Sienna, four - Jade's bleeding persisted and doctors struggled to pinpoint the reason.

They tried her on various medication but nothing worked and the bleeding became so intense she would have to wear nappy-sized period pads and two pairs of trousers to avoid leaks.

She would get through 30 pads a day - costing her around $766-a-year - and would bloat so much she was "bigger than during pregnancy."

Eventually in late 2023 she switched to a different hospital and demanded answers.

An exploratory surgery revealed an unexpected outcome - she was bleeding from two uteruses.

Despite having been through four pregnancies and countless scans, the rare condition - known as uterus didelphys - had been missed.

Jade has had an IUS coil fitted since then and the bleeding has been significantly reduced, meaning she can go about her daily life again without worry for the first time in years.

Jade, a McDonalds manager, from Basingstoke, Hampshire, said: "I had always had heavy bleeding after my first daughter.

"I could barely leave the house - I was wearing underwear, pads, leggings, trousers, and then I'd still have to go home and change.

"Doctors gave me pills but nothing would help and I would bloat so much I would be bigger than when I was pregnant.

"They told me it would stop on its own, and not to worry - but of course I did worry.

"When I found out I was bleeding so much because I have two uteruses I couldn't believe it.

"They said I was one-in-a-million.

"Since the bleeding has been under control I have been able to go back to work - and I'll be able to wear shorts and dresses for the first time this summer.

"But this condition ruined my life for ten years - and we need more research into it."

Jade began bleeding after her first pregnancy and never stopped - with it getting heavier over time.

She didn't even stop bleeding during her next three pregnancies and it would be accompanied by horrible cramps.

She said she was "constantly in touch with the hospital and GP" and was prescribed medications, but said nothing helped.

It affected every aspect of her life - with her needing to cancel plans, take time off work and change clothes several times a day no matter how much sanitary protection she wore.

Her sex life struggled as she had to double up on underwear instead of sporting lingerie and the bed "would look like a crime scene after".

After a decade with no idea what was causing it, Jade - who is engaged to Anthony Nunn, 41 - put her foot down and demanded answers.

She even moved to a different hospital in the hope it would be taken seriously.

She said: "I said 'I can't keep living like this' - I needed two pads and two pairs of trousers at a time.

"I knew it wasn't normal and it wasn't going away."

In October 2023 she went in for a scan and was called in for an emergency biopsy shortly after.

Jade had needed treatment to have cancer cells removed from her cervix directly after her first pregnancy over a decade earlier.

After seeing her scan, doctors revealed the bleeding wasn't due to endometriosis, as she had suspected - so Jade became increasingly worried the cancer was still present.

After further biopsies and an exploratory surgery the following month, Jade was told she was cancer-free after all.

But doctors went on to tell her the reason her bleeding was so heavy - is because she was bleeding from two uteruses fused together.

She said: "They said it was one-in-a-million.

"They said the condition causes pre-term labor, and all my babies were early so that makes sense."

The doctors also removed nine uterine polyps during the procedure.

Medics were unsure why, but after the surgery, her second uterus started to fail - and eventually blocked off.

So after having a Merina coil inserted into her one remaining functional uterus, her bleeding has slowed to a spotting and become manageable.

She said: "My situation is a lot better now.

"Before, I was constantly using heat pads and getting through 30 sanitary towels a day - it was so bad.

"In summer I'd need to wear a jacket in case I needed to tie it around my waist - people would ask 'are you hot? and I'd say 'yes!'.

"Now I can go swimming with my kids - whenever they asked before, I would have to say no.

"Finally I know the reason why and I can have more of a normal life.

"But there's not much awareness and I still never really got answers.

"I want more women to be aware of it and I want there to be more information out there."